Corn-husking machine.



M. H. MILLER CORN HUSKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAR-9.191?- XNVENTOR Patented. Dec. 25,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY M. H. MILLER. CORN HUSKING MACHINE.

m 1 9 1 5 2 D m m D W H M w N 0 U A W H P A 7 SHEETSSHEET 2.

iNVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES flZ/Z 1727/01,

* ennui) STATES PATENT OFFIQ:

MICHEL H, MILLER, or mvnaivronn, town.

comrJ tIsKmG Macrame.

Specification of Letters Bate t.

a ent d 2 9-. 25 1 47- Application filed anuary 9, 1917. Serial No. 141,446.

as mounted on and forming part of a corn harvester; and the primary object of the same is to provide means for driving the rollers atthe desired speed from the same motor or source of power which drives the remaining mechanisms of the harvester. A secondary object of the invention is to provide preliminary means for tearing "'the husks before they reach the bushing rollers.

These and other objects may be carried out in a number of ways, and in the following specification l have described a construction in which the objects are accomplished by mechanism mounted on a corn harvester whose details need not be elaborated and form no part of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the complete harvester with my invention applied.

- Fig. 2 is a cross section through the upper end of the two carriers in a double -rowmachine, showing how the cars from both carriers may be delivered to a single husking mechanism.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views of the preliminary husk-tearing mechanism at the upper end of one carrier.

The corn harvester diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 includes a running gear R mounted on wheels, 7 and illustrated in this case as carrying an engine which may constitutethe motor M, although I wish it understood that motive power may be taken fr m the axle A of one of the pairs of wheels and the machine drawn over the ground by any means, or the engine M might be of suflicie n t power to propel the machine as well as driving the moving parts thereof. e of the guide G tand the snappmg rollers-S, and upward from the latter lead carriers G, preferably of the endless belt type and which in the present case we will assume are two in number because this is to be considered a two-row harvester. The carriers deliver to the husking mechanism H, which is here shown as having rollers arranged in pairs and rotated toward each other as usual, and the letter 15' designates an elevator and F a ran as usual. The

power for driving all of these mechanisms excepting the husking rollers, is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 as conveyed from the motor M by means of a power shaft P, but as above suggested the power might be taken fro nsome'other source than an engine.

Coming now to the Specific details ofthe present invention, theprimary feature of the latter is the independent connection of the husking mechanism with the motor through a speed-changing device ortransmission mechanism located within the driv-' ing connections, as indicated by the numeral 1 in Fig. 1. The details of structure are not important, but the driving shaft 2 is connected with the source of power M and the driven shaft 3 is connected with one of the rollers and geared or otherwise connected to the other roller so that the two rollers in the pair will rotate toward each other as usual in husking machines. The importance of this feature of construction is that when it is found that the ears are gathered and delivered to the bushing mechanism more rapidly than the latter can strip off the husks, the control lever of the speed changing device or transmission mechanism is moved to speed up the husking' rollers and prevent their becoming chokedi Under ordinary conditions the parts will be so proportioned that when these'rollers' are driven by the lowspeed gear in the transmission mechanism they will handle the ears gathered by the machine when the latter is moved over the ground at the usual speed; but when its rate of progress is increased or when the ears are exceptionally large or their husks tough or for ether-reasons the husking 'mechanism' is liable "to 'become choked," it is spea' by settingthe trailsmission mechanism'as exp'lainedf In Fig. 2 I have shown how the two carriers C of a two-row corn harvester might drop cars into a single hopper 4 whose walls con erge d wnward to a single husking mechanism H, and in such case the rollers would be made of a proper size and their minimum speed would be such that they would handle the ears gathered from two rows of corn. It is possible that this idea could be expanded to include a greater number of rows than two, and here again the advantage of being ableto speed up the husking mechanism is apparent.

I find that where extra labor is likely to be thrown on the husking mechanism, it is highly desirable that the ears be given preliminary treatment whereby the husks thereon will be shredded or torn, and especially that they be drawn outward from the stub end of the ear, so that the husking rollers may grasp them more readily; and this I accomplish by the construction whose details are best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. At the upper end of each carrier a rectangular opening 10 is cut in each of its side walls, and within such opening stands a plate 11 whose body is studded with a series of rivets or bolts 12 having sharp or pointed inner ends or tips 13, those of one plate standing opposite to those of the other; and each plate is impelled inward within the opening by means of a leaf spring 14 having one end connected with the outside of the plate as by means of a screw 15 and its other end attached as at 16 to the side wall of the carrier. As each ear is carried upward by the belt or other mechanism within the carrier, it is forced to pass between the contiguous faces of the two plates and it is drawn between the tips 13 of the studs 12, and the result is that its husk is torn or shredded to a considerable extent, so that when it falls from the upper end of the carrier onto the husking mechanism the rolls in the latter may grasp the projecting ends of the husk more readily.

It should be noted that this husk shredding mechanism includes relatively fixed elements which are the studded plates, between which the husks are forced to pass by a rela- V tively movable element which is the belt of the carrier C. As seen in Fig. 3, the walls of the carrier converge downward, and as the plates are carried by and parallel with them they have substantially the same convergence: therefore if the husks are small or few they will be acted on by the studs near the lower edges of the plates, whereas if they are large they will be acted on by studs higher up. In any event, the ears stand lengthwise within the carrier and are moved lengthwise with the belt by the flights or blades thereon, their sides sliding against the inner faces of the carrier-wallsg and each ear therefore comes end on to the studded plates so that in effect the studs are moved lengthwise through the husks to shred the latter effectively before they pass to the husking mechanism proper. Attention is invited to the peculiar disposition of the springs 14. The upper portion of each is secured at 15 to the outside of one of the plates, as by screwing it to the back of the latter, whereas the lower end of each spring is secured to the inner face of the conveyerwall below the opening 10 and below the line of travel of the upper side of the belt. In other words, the springs stand upright or perpendicular to the trough-like carrier, and at right angles to the length of the plates, which parallel the carrier as seen in Fig. 1. Therefore when the ears reach the plates end-on as just suggested, the yielding of the springs permits the upper edges of the plates to spread apart farther than their lower edges, or in other words the springs are such that the plates are supported hingedly by. them. The result is that, whatever the size of the ear in question, it will find lodgment between the studded faces of the two plates at some point between their upper and lower edges, the exact point depending upon various conditions such as the size and weight of the ear, the flexibility of the springs, the resistance set up when the studs shred the husk. the speed of the belt, and the question of whether the ear moves between the plates strictly along its axial line or not. I

I have found by experience, however, that with these preliminary elements interposed in the walls of the carrier, the husks are shredded lengthwise on the ears before the ing is facilitated.

W'hat is claimed as new is:

1. In a corn husking device. the combination with the husking mechanism; of a carrier delivering ears to the same and including a stationary trough-like body whose side walls are provided with opposite openings, plates mounted in said openings and having studs on their inner faces projecting toward each other, and yielding means for supporting said plates.

2. In a corn husk shredding device, the combination with a stationary trough having downwardly converging walls, and a carrier moving longitudinally within said trough between the lower edges of its wall, of plates within the trough converging clownwardly, pointed studs projecting from their inner faces, and yielding means for holding the plates on the walls of the trough.

3. In a corn husk shredding device, the combination with a. stationary trough having downwardly converging walls, and a plate and at its lower end to the inner face carrier moving longitudinally within said of the wall of the trough near the lower trough between the lower edges of its walls; edge of the latter whereby the plate is yield- 1o of plates within the trough converging ingly supported, for the purpose set forth.

5 downwardly and having studs projecting In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

from their inner faces, and a spring secured at its upper end to the outer face of each MICHEL H. MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. c." 

